Lord Rooker: The ambulance service's capacity is determined by its ability to meet the required national standard response time for Category A (life-threatening) calls. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, along with the Boards' Commissioning Group for Ambulance Services, continues to work with NIAS on developing and implementing a range of measures including new technology, dynamic deployment and additional deployment points designed to enable the ambulance service to meet the national standard response time.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of older people, particularly those aged over 85, is expected to rise sharply over coming years with significant implications for public services, such as long-term care for the elderly. Recent reports from Derek Wanless for the King's Fund, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and others have made important contributions to the debate around the future of social care provision, which will also be informed by individual budgets, partnerships for older people projects, direct payments and the In Control programme. In assessing proposals and as part of the long-term vision of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, the Government will consider whether they are affordable, whether they are consistent with progressive universalism and whether they promote independence, dignity, well-being and control in line with Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, the White Paper Our health, our care, our say and the National Service Framework for Older People.

Lord Drayson: The Government have no plans for the reintroduction of National Service.

Lord Teverson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the results and data obtained from the Energy Demand Research Project will be incorporated into their implementation of the European Energy Services Directorate (2006/32/EC) which is due to be implemented by May 2008.

Lord Truscott: Article 13 of the Energy Services Directive requires member states to ensure that where it is,
	"technically possible, financially reasonable and proportionate in relation to the energy savings",
	energy consumers are provided with meters that provide information on time of energy use. The directive also requires that, where appropriate, certain types of information relating to a consumer's energy consumption are provided on or with the bill for that energy.
	The Energy Demand Research Project will involve energy companies conducting a range of trials where smart meters and feedback devices are installed in homes to test consumers' response to better information about their energy consumption. The different approaches tested in the trials will include information on displays, more accurate and informative billing and differential tariffs by time of day. This will allow the Government to develop their understanding of the cost-effectiveness of different approaches to the provision of information to consumers. This will help inform future policy development, including in relation to the ongoing requirements in Article 13 of the Energy Services Directive, which specifically recognises that cost, benefits and technologies will change over time.

Houses of Parliament: New Palace Yard

Lord Berkeley: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What action is being taken to repair the damaged blockwork road sections in New Palace Yard; and who will fund the work.

Houses of Parliament: New Palace Yard

Lord Berkeley: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether the blockwork sections of road in New Palace Yard were designed to carry the current levels of traffic.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Leatherhead station is owned by Network Rail and is served by Southern and South West Trains. The lead operator at the station is Southern and it is responsible for providing information to passengers who use the station.
	Where engineering works affect services at the station, Southern will ensure that all relevant information is displayed at the station including details of any replacement bus services. This information will also be available on its website and National Rail enquiries. If the department becomes aware of instances where this does not occur, enquiries will be made of the train operating company to ascertain why information was not provided and what steps are to be taken to prevent a recurrence.

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there will be an enquiry into the deaths of a father and his two children in a fire at their home on a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus on 18 March.

Lord Rooker: The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is committed to working in partnership with others where there are opportunities to help deliver an improved service both on and off-site which PRONI is currently exploring. A wide range of genealogical research organisations of a commercial and non-commercial nature exist both within Northern Ireland and elsewhere with which PRONI might collaborate.
	As a division of a government department, PRONI cannot be seen to develop close relations with any one commercial genealogy research organisation such as the Ulster Historical Foundation, or to give one commercial organisation a potential advantage over another. Any proposals to commercial organisations are on the basis of open competition and any proposals from commercial organisations are judged on merit as to what benefits would accrue to PRONI.
	Currently, PRONI advertises the services of all commercial genealogy organisations, including the Ulster Historical Foundation, by means of a leaflet which is available within PRONI and which is sent to all enquirers who want a comprehensive genealogy service which PRONI cannot provide. This information is also available on the PROM website. The Ulster Historical Foundation, like any other commercial genealogy organisation which chooses to use this service, benefits from free publicity through PRONI. Also, each year PRONI supports the annual conference of the Ulster Historical Foundation by providing one or two speakers and is host to delegates who attend. In terms of promoting genealogy, PRONI and the Ulster Historical Foundation are working together, for example at the Smithsonian Festival in Washington this summer.
	It should be noted that PRONI's counterparts in the National Archives in London and the National Archives of Scotland have no formal relations with commercial research bodies such as the Ulster Historical Foundation for exploiting and promoting their resources.